Apparatus relating to bleaching, washing, or dyeing of woven fabrics



March 3, 1931. c. G. HANHART 1,794,403

OR DYEING OF WOVEN FABRICS WASHING,

APPARATUS RELATING TO BLEACHING Filed Dec. 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fly. 4

In vent-an- Mal ch 3, 1931. Q HANHART I 1,794,403

APPARATUS RELATING TO BLEAGI-IING, WASHING OR DYEING OF WOVEN FABRICS Filed Dec, 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /n ventor:

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CHLES G. HANHART, 0F THALWIL, NEAR ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TU FARBEREI WEIDMANN T.-GIES., 0F THALWIL, NEAR ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, A

COMPANY OF SVTITZERLAND APPARATUS RELATING TO BLEACHING, WASHING, 0R DYEING OF WQVEN FABRICS Application filed December 13, 1928, Serial No. 325,311, and in Germany December 15?, 192.7.

This invention has reference to the treatment of woven fabrics and provides improved means for passing the fabrics through the treatment bath in a continuous manner, in order to prolong the action of the bath thereon as required, for example, for loading silk fabrics. The invention enables the fabric to be conveyed through the bath in a simple manner whilst afiording it maxi-' mum protection against tension and compression stresses.

According to the invention, the fabric is held for conveyance with a force which can be adjusted with the greatest precision to the degree exactly necessary for the purpose. This result is achieved by calculating the flow pressure of the bath liquor and by positioning its intake and outlet in such a way that the fabric is automatically maintained in contact with the runner (conveyor or drum) on which it is supported solely by said flow pressure. Contrary to the opinion of technical experts, it has been ascertained that a flow pressure of 3-4 cm. sufiices to maintain 40-fold layers of fabric in sufliciently firm contact with the runner to enable the latter to convey it through the bath. It is, however, necessary that the intake and outlet be so disposed and dimensioned as to assure a steady flow; and it is also essential that the points at which the fabric is applied to and detached from the runner be situated externally in relation to the bath liquor, in order to prevent the layers of fabric from being in any way affected or displaced by the flow.

Typical embodiments of the invention are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a lon itudinal section of one form of apparatus em odying nay-invention, Fig. 2 a corresponding cross section; Fig. 3 a fragmentary view of the feed roller; Fig. 4 a fragmentary view of the conveyor; Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section of a second form of my invention; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the form of my invention shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a view illustrating the manner of feeding a plurality of fabrics simultaneously to the apparatus.

A trough 1 is continuously traversed by a saggy, pervio-us belt conveyor 5, which is guided by rollers 2, 3 and 4 mounted externally of the trough. As shown in Figs. 3

and 4 the belt conveyor may comprise a pair of spaced endless chains, the links a b c: of wh ch are engaged by teeth on the roller 2 and transverse rods azbzc covered by a runner (Z of previous material. The fabric 7 is fed on to the belt conveyor outside the bath by a feeding device such as a reel 14: By means of intermediate gearing l5 16, the peripheral velocity of the belt conveyor is reduced toa fraction of the rate of feed of the fabric, so that the latter will lie in folds or undulations 011 the conveyor and be exposed to protracted treatment on a relatively short length thereof. The fabric lies loosely on the conveyor Without any distortion, and 1s sutliciently maintained in contact with the runner d by causing the bath liquor to flow, by means of a propeller 6, in a cycle through an opening 12, then down through the upper sagging portion of the conveyor and then through an opening 13, as shown by the arrows. The flow pressure can be adjusted, according to the permeability of the fabric, to the precise degree needed for holding the fabric on the belt, by varying the speed of the propeller. On the outer side of the guide roller 3, the fabric 7 drops off automatically so that no doffing device is required.

In the construction according to Figs. 5 and 6 the belt conveyor is replaced by a drum 8, which is mounted in a trough 9, and turns in the direction of the feathered arrow. The bath liquor is maintained in circulation in the trough, passing radially inwards through the drum at practically all points on its periphery and leaving the interior of the drum by an axial opening 4. The rate of flow of the liquor is regulated at said opening by a propeller 10. In addition to the feed device 14, this apparatus is provided with a dofling device 17 running at the same speed as the former. In this case also, transmission gearing 15:16 is-disposed between the feed and doiiing devices on the one hand and the drum on the other enabling the fabric to be laid in folds or undulations on the drum.

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Fig. 7 shows the manner of feeding fabrics maintain the layers in position thereon, and

which will not stand folding. In such case means for dofiing the layers of fabric from the a larger number of layers of fabric are conru ducted to the conveyor or drum from receptacles 1 :2 3, etc., over guide rollers 10: 2a: 3a, etc., and over the feeding device 14 of the apparatus, the ratio of velocity of the feeding device and the conveyor or drum being made such that the fabric is laid thereon without being subjected to tension.

Whilst I have described preferred forms of theapparatus according to my invention, it is to be understood that modifications may be made and therefore I intend no limitations upon the invention other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for passing woven fabric through a treatment bath in a continuous manner, comprising a trough for the bath liquor, a permeable runner dipping into the trough, means positioned outside the bath liquor for feeding the fabric onto and from the runner, a propeller within the confines of the runner for generating a controllable flow pressure of the bath liquor through the runner to maintain the fabric in position thereon, and means for driving the runner and the feed devices.

2. Apparatus for passing woven fabric through a treatment bath in a continuous manner, comprising a trough for the bath liquor, a permeable runner dipping into the trough, means positioned outside the bath liquor for feeding the fabric onto and from the runner, means for generating a controllable flow pressure of the bath liquor through the runner to maintain the fabric in position thereon, and means for driving the runner and the feed-on device at relatively different peripheral speeds whereby the fabric is disposed in undulations on the runner.

3. Apparatus for passing Woven fabric through a treatment bath in a continuous manner, comprising a trough for the bath liquor, a permeable runner dipping into the trough, a propeller for generating a controllable flow pressure of the bath liquor for maintaining the fabric in position on the runner, means for driving the runner, a device for feeding the fabric onto the runner,

means for driving the feed device and the runner at relatively difierent peripheral speeds whereby the fabric is laid in folds on the runner, and means for doifing the fabric from the runner.

4. Apparatus for passing woven fabrics through a treatment bath in a continuous manner, comprising a trough for the bath liquor, a permeable runner dipping into the trough, means for driving the runner, means for feeding layers of fabric thereon, a propeller for generating a controllable flow pressure of the bath liquor through the runner to nner. In testimony whereof I affix m signature.

CHARLES Gr. HA HART. 

